Billy takes off the headpiece but pauses with it in his hand, glancing at Kompf and then the rest of his 'command staff,' "If this ends with me taking crotch shots from an entire space station I'm going to be very put off," he warns before finally handing it over.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 560):

Kopf's crewman types away at the device for a few minutes and then returns it.

"All set."

All that remains is to stow Lloyd on yjr cargo ship.

"Ready when you are," he says.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 561):

Percy, not wearing his power armor, pushes the cart towards Kopf's ship (another first).  Rebecca walks alongside glaring at the prone body like a very wary honor guard.

[Megapercy: 46, Green Success]


Same transfer details as last time.  Oh and feel free to treat him poorly.

The monstrosity will wheel the prone body up the ramp onto the ship.

He's your problem now.

She says with a smile
This message was last edited by the player at 15:50, Fri 22 July 2016.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 562):

Kopf watches as his crew secures Lloyd, arms folded thoughtfully at the exchange. After a few parting pleasantries, the quartet of ships fire up their engines and depart without further incident.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 563):

As the mercenaries leave Rebecca turns to her team.

I think there is something amiss here and I am concerned that we have not seen the last of our friend Lloyd...

They wired me the money against his award immediately, my understanding would be this would normally wait until they collect the bounty.  I wonder if they are truly going to turn him over to the proper authorities.

I will go to the asteroid station and put the older hostages back to bed.  with promises that they will wake up at home.  Billy please authorize the J-9 and J-10 robots to assist me in the is endeavor.

Xander, while doing his best to stay out of the way, will nonetheless take a keen interest in the new J10 units. He will monitor their performance specs, decision making algorithms, and all other diagnostic data he has access to in order to better understand their capabilities.

In reply to Xander (msg # 565):

Thank fuck they're gone...

In reply to Batallion (msg # 566):

Rebecca raises an eyebrow at Batallion.

I'm surprised to hear that coming from you... I was convinced you had a massive mancrush on Kopf from the moment he arrived, and you kept making googly eyes at his staffers.

"There's no reason to wait for the bounty if they can pay us our share now, it's publicly posted by some official who doesn't have the privelage of haggling or shortchanging on delivery.  You can be paranoid if you want, but he made it pretty clear his day starts and finishes with money."
Billy shrugs and leaves the others to do whatever they're most confirtable with in the absence of armed mercenaries.  Billy orders the J-9's on the asteroid to go about prepping some of the hostages for a sleepy trip home, and divvies up the J-10s between the two stations roughly evenly, sending them on one of the supply trips to the asteroid.  He also takes one of the J-10 units to Viceroy to give a second opinion, as a test of exactly how much more advanced the new models are.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 568):

Mancrush?  You got a lot to learn about guys princess.  He was an asshole.  Walked in like he OWNED the place...

After giving Viceroy his checkup, Billy busies himself by basking in his own popularity.  He shoots the shit with workers on break,  bringing in J-units and/or a case of drinks for random workers, and generally proves to be the nicest (and least personally productive) boss in the galaxy.  While being as congenial as possible, he asks the station workers each how they came to be there, as well as their assorted opinions about the Alliance, before and after the whole mind control affair.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 570):

Rebecca on the other hand is the taskmaster.  While not cruel she is demanding and organized.  She will even try to rope Xander and Abraxis into the work being done.

We have to have demonstrable progress.

Rebecca stands in front of whatever portion of the team cares and Billy (who is mandatory), delivering a report.

The bay is at best 50% functional and by the time the main AoS force arrives they will expect to have some kind of progress.  I will set teams to work in shifts and will require full permission to use the J-9 and J-10 robots to not only maintain the medical facility on the asteroid but also assist in the repairs.  I have transferred a significant amount of funds into the AoS account and we need to indicate that we are making good by returning prisoners.  I have instructed the J-9 units on the asteroid to return the population back to sedation so that nothing appears amiss.  We will just look like we are recovering from the damage of our takeover and will then send back the hostages.

She does a dive into the books to find out how the prisoner transfers were handled in the past

There is no way that we spent months driving them out of here and then months to bring back the ship and crew... how were they transferred after the ransom?

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 571):

JJ makes absolutely no pretense of being any sort of leader or organizer.

He spends his time with the usual lounging, drinking, and having duplicates absolutely everywhere so that you're really not sure where he ACTUALLY is.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 572):

The command crew busies itself after Kopf's departure, each going in a markedly different direction.

Battalion does some of the best loafing anyone has ever seen, and seems to be everywhere at once in order to do the most comprehensive amount of nothing possible.


Xander examines the new J10 units, comparing their specs to those of the current J9 units. They are in all ways superior to the earlier models, though their AI seems to have hints of personality here and there -- particularly when compared to the flat responses of the J9s.

The J10 units prove unable to revive Viceroy, but confirm that he is "still operational" and that they are merely lacking suitable equipment and a large enough power source to go with it.

Rebecca keeps the workers assigned to their tasks and oversees the ongoing sedation of the liberated prisoners. While Billy's popularity remains high, Rebecca's is quite low -- particularly among the prisoners, many of whom are not convinced they have been freed at all.

Billy chats up the various workers and gets bits and pieces of their life story. Most volunteered after being swayed by the AoS's propaganda machine, and none have a stable family situation back home to look forward to. It is unclear how much of their initial zeal was due to some form of mind manipulation, but Lloyd has been in command of the station from before their arrival. The only other Controller they've known is the present one: Billy.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 573):

Its hard to tell if Rebecca is hurt by the accusations.  Though you do notice that she gets more and more professional as time goes on.  No longer skipping through the halls and wearing a lab coat at all times.

The IDA can't get here soon enough.  They can say what they want now, they'll thank me when they are home.

Other than that she steers her own course largely dragging the grown ups behind her.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 574):

Time passes quickly, and before long the awaited IDA fleet enters the local system.

Commander Faust seems to have taken his task seriously. He arrives at the head of a fleet consisting of a battleship-class capital vessel larger than the Mammoth; a crusier-class capital ship; two destroyer-class ships; and an enormous armored transport usually used to ferry soldiers into and out of combat.

Scans show all vessels are fully armed and operational.

It occurs to those of you with military experience that this amount of firepower is way way way above that usually assigned to anyone but an admiral.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 575):

"Bridge to AoS Station. This space is now under the authority and protection of the IDA. Relinquish all control codes and prepare for occupation."

In reply to Commander Faust (msg # 576):

... I'll relinquish control... JJ mutters while making EXACTLY the gesture you'd expect him to be making.

In reply to Commander Faust (msg # 576):

Yes Sir!

Rebecca says excited and does so immediately.  Despite her cool demeanor the grumblings of the hostages and her own gnawing doubt has worn on her the past few days.

While transferring the coordinates she gives a situation report to the Commander.

The AoS still believes this station to be under their control.  We have several dozen sedated civilian hostages on the asteroid space station.  They are in good health and prepared for transport to your ship and subsequent return to their families.  The hanger has been recently repaired, please be gentle with it.  There are staff on both stations and we will inform them to stand down, I request that you use minimal force in apprehending them as many of them were a victim of a mind-controlling paranormal.  I will rouse the rest of our group and prepare for you arrival.

She closes communication and immediately runs to fetch up Xander, a random Batallion, and Billy.

Billy, since you have the best rapport with the crew I suggest that we gather them in a central location here and one on the asteroid and order them to give up immediately to the IDA.  I have requested they use minimal force and to grant leniency due to their previous controller.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:59, Thu 28 July 2016.

Billy quirks an eyebrow as Rebecca is as obedient as possible in the face of an authority figure.  He shrugs and heads to the control room to make an announcement actoss the station, "Attention everyone, your friendly neighborhood controller here.  I have some good news and some bad news for everyone.  The vad news is that we're about to be occupied by IDA forces who are likely to arrest all willing members of the Alliance for terrorist acts.  But! But," he continues quickly, "The good news is that your recently terminated and prolonged exposure to a mind controlling jackass means most of this staff has a legally defensible position as unwilling participants in said terrorist acts.  Added good news, the IDA might have need of some staff for a space station in the near future, and if not I will.  Anyone willing to disavow association with the AoS is welcome to head to hangar two, where some robots will have some handy legal documentation for you to sign.  Everyone else should stand down, as the J9 and J10 units will be assisting the IDA in this occupation starting immediately." He sends a transmission to the asteroid to similar effect, promising that they will have the opportunity to sort out the actual terrorists once the IDA lowers their defensive posture.

As soon as his announcement is finished Billy immediately taps his headset and orders all robots to subdue any personnel trying to leave the stations, or who resort to any kind of armed resistance.  Then he orders two J-9s and a J-10 to hangar two.  He sets up a couple datapads with a boilerplate legal document stating how <Your name here> was not in direct control of their faculties during the period of <enter dates of AoS recruitment> and how any and all illegal activities they participated in during this period were the direct actions of Lloyd and the greater Alignment of Sol organization.  He instructs the J-9s to allow any staff member to complete the form with basic instructions.  The J-10 he informs of how a small shipping company may be expanding into the area and tries to get her to be able to pitch the idea of any staff member basically just doing their same job under another banner after the station changes hands, and instructs her to compile a list of names of anyone willing to join up, with promises of as smooth a transition as possible.

With the station staff apparently taken care of, he confidently heads to wherever the IDA plans to make their entrance.  Halfway there, however, he orders one J-9 and J-10 to go to the transport Rebecca prepared earlier and enter a sleep cycle.  Then he takes the headpiece off and stuffs it in a pocket.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:52, Thu 28 July 2016.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 579):

Nice work...

JJ saves a copy of the legal disclaimer Billy works up.  Just in case.

Xander breathes a sigh of relief as the IDA enter system. He endeavors to assist the takeover process in whatever way he can, looking forward to being rid of the space station.

In reply to Xander (msg # 581):

JJ takes up prominant positions around the hangars, docks, or wherever the IDA will be showing up and assumes the "Big Damned Hero who Saved All These Innocent People" stance.

In reply to Batallion (msg # 582):

Billy spares a moment to wonder why multiple Batallions are all standing around with their hands on their hips and their chests puffed out for no apparent reason, but doesn't mention anything.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 583):

The orbital station is quickly brought under the orderly control of the IDA and, specifically, Commander Faust.

After a cursory greeting, he sets to work securing the facility according to IDA protocols when capturing hostile territory -- although the actions of certain among you guarantee far less bloodshed and destruction than might otherwise be associated with such actions.

***

The workers are none too happy about the prospect of being arrested on charges of interplanetary terrorism, but this does little to quell their respect for Billy. After all, they can see the massive fleet hovering outside as well as anyone.

Resistance being futile, they volunteer for Billy's "get out of jail 'free'" program to a man.

***

The facility below, however, is a (slightly) different story. Some of the staff stationed there mount a brief and completely ineffective resistance movement, which Commander Faust quells personally with a cadre of troopers backed by Billy's cooperative J9 and J10 units.

The three responsible for the masterminding the effort -- and about a dozen others -- are led away in chains. They chant and yell and otherwise demonstrate crazy zealotry to the AoS cause before being roughly gagged on their way to the their cells.

***

Commander Faust ultimately decides to place the various workers under house arrest while the legal system gets to work untangling the complicated contracts he is being presented with. You could swear he mutters something about an impending lawsuit in the snippets of conversations you overhear on his comm channels from time to time, as well.

***

Three days after the IDA's arrival, Commander Faust pulls Billy aside and asks him to call his staff together for a meeting first thing in the morning.


~~ END CHAPTER! ALL PLAYERS GAIN +1000 KARMA ~~
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:41, Fri 29 July 2016.